Men Indicted for Identity Theft & Federal Crimes in Tampa

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TAMPA, FL — In a significant development in the enforcement of federal identity theft laws, United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced the indictments of Antonio Resendiz-Badillo, 39, from Mexico, and Erlin Maradiaga-Flores, 30, from Honduras. Both men are charged with aggravated identity theft, misuse of Social Security numbers, and making false statements about citizenship to unlawfully engage in employment.

The indictments, returned recently in Tampa, detail that Resendiz-Badillo and Maradiaga-Flores allegedly misused the names and Social Security numbers of other individuals. They are accused of falsely claiming U.S. citizenship, an act aimed at securing employment illegally.

If convicted on all counts, each defendant faces a stringent penalty ranging from a minimum mandatory sentence of 2 years to a maximum of 12 years in federal prison. The severity of the charges underscores the U.S. legal system's commitment to combating identity fraud, particularly involving critical personal information such as Social Security numbers.

This case is the result of a collaborative investigation involving multiple agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Such extensive cooperation highlights the complexity and seriousness of the alleged crimes.

Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray is leading the prosecution of this case. As with all indictments, the charges are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

For Immediate Release: U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida

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